Prior to the early 1930's the bicycle and the horse had been the principal means of transportation for human civilization. As technology advanced automobiles, airplanes, engine-powered boats, and trains became the cornerstones of modern transportation. These emerging means of transportation brought forth fast and efficient connections between cities, states, and countries. They also enabled working class people to live many miles away from their jobs and still have time to spend with the family. And they enabled the old and infirm a means of becoming self-sufficient without having to curtail their desired daily routines.
However, these transportation vehicles have come with many unintended consequences. One problem in recent years has been the increasing exhaustion of oil and its attendant rise in prices. Another related problem has been the byproducts generated by its use in combustion engines. The use of gasoline and other fossil fuels create greenhouse gases which many scientists believe is contributing to Global warming. As more Carbon Dioxide is released into the atmosphere, heat produced by UV radiation by the sun is not able to release from Earth's atmosphere as readily as before the 1930's. What's more, many other particulates released from the combustion of fuel contribute to the degradation of the Ozone layer which further exacerbates global warming.
Another problem which will only worsen in the coming years is traffic congestion. The popularity of automobiles has become so great in many metropolitan cities that its very use is beginning to militate against its primary advantage of speed. The main problem lies in the fact that cities simply cannot build enough roads to accommodate the exponential growth of new automobiles on the road. In point of fact, currently the average speed of an automobile in Los Angeles is near 33 miles per hour. It is estimated that in around 15 years the average speed of a vehicle in Los Angeles will drop to around 22 miles per hour.
Fortunately, new technologies and other advances have breathed new life to bicycles and other human powered vehicles by making them much faster. Since the 1930's several human powered vehicles have attained speeds heretofore believed to be impossible. Currently, the land speed record for an unassisted, flat surface human powered vehicle is 80.55 miles per hour, over 10 miles per hour faster than speed limits on interstate highways. The land speed record for an assisted bicyclist is 167 miles per hour.
Moreover, advances in human powered vehicles are not just confined to land. Today, there are human powered aircraft, which can attain speeds of 25 miles per hour. Other human powered vehicles include hydrofoils and submarines.
Human-powered vehicles offer several advantages over engine or motor propelled vehicles. One of the obvious advantages is that they are environmentally friendly. Since they are completely powered by humans, harmful gases are not released into the atmosphere as with automobiles. Another advantage is cost savings. As gas prices continue its upward ascent, many people will inevitably be priced out of vehicle use and ownership. Another advantage is the fact that unlike large vehicles, most human powered vehicles are relatively small in size. Therefore, roads and other thoroughfares can safely handle a very large concentration of bicycles thereby relieving traffic congestion and long commuting times.
However, there are some drawbacks and heretofore-unrealized opportunities for human powered vehicles. The most obvious drawback is the fact that their propulsion is derived from humans. Whereas most automobiles can deliver over 150 horsepower, human powered vehicles are limited to less than one horsepower. Unfortunately, most human-powered vehicles such as the human powered aircraft require a great deal of physical exertion for takeoff. For many people who are not physically robust, their muscles simply cannot transmit the requisite power for takeoff. And with long wheel base recumbent bicycles, ascending up hills is very difficult.
One way to overcome this lack of power is to tap into another potential source of human power, the upper body. The upper body comprises the pectoral muscles, the abdominal muscles, the deltoids, triceps, and biceps. Although the upper body can generate only a fraction of the power of the lower body, the power supplied by the upper body is just enough to overcome the most commonly occasioned difficulties. If one could access approximately 20-30% more power for takeoff or for ascending a steep hill with their upper body, the use of human powered vehicles would become more feasible and accessible to many people of all kinds of fitness levels.
Another related deficiency in a similar field involves exercise equipment, specifically recumbent exercise bicycles with an upper body exercise apparatus. Although it is desirable to engage more muscle groups during a workout, some people may not desire to engage their upper body during exercise. Some people may prefer to read a newspaper while propelling the pedals with their legs. Unfortunately, many of these exercise machines do not provide for a disengagement mechanism for the upper body exercise apparatus from the lower body exercise apparatus. For this reason, the arm levers will continue to sway back and forth regardless of whether the person does not desire to work out her upper body. In addition, if one desires to read a book while working out on such exercise apparatus, the swaying lever bars can be an annoyance.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is a means of accessing power from the upper body and transmitting this extra power into a human powered vehicle. By augmenting power for propulsion, human powered vehicles will become more feasible, especially in those instances requiring an extra burst of power and energy. Furthermore, what is needed in the art is an exercise apparatus which provides a disengagement mechanism which can make the upper body workout optional for some people.